Hydrogen-bond vibrational and energetic dynamical properties in sI and sII clathrate hydrates and in ice Ih: Molecular dynamics insights

Abstract

Equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been performed on cubic (sI and sII) polymorphs of methane hydrate, and hexagonal ice (ice Ih), to study the dynamical properties of hydrogen-bond vibrations and hydrogen-bond self-energy. It was found that hydrogen-bond energies are greatest in magnitude in sI hydrates, followed by sII, and their energies are least in magnitude in ice Ih. This is consistent with recent MD-based findings on thermal conductivities for these various materials [N. J. English and J. S. Tse, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 015901 (2009)], in which the lower thermal conductivity of sI methane hydrate was rationalised in terms of more strained hydrogen-bond arrangements. Further, modes for vibration and energy-transfer via hydrogen bonds in sI hydrate were found to occur at higher frequencies vis-à-vis ice Ih and sII hydrate in both the water-librational and OH⋯H regions because of the more strained nature of hydrogen bonds therein.